5 hours (approx.)
Daily Tour
3 people
English
If you want to see the absolute BEST of pristine Colorado nature, far away from the crowded tourist attractions, this is the adventure you’ve been looking for! First we’ll head to Shelf Road, originally a tolled stage coach route named for long stretches of road being literally a shelf carved into the side of the mountain, with no guardrails and steep drop-offs. Wildlife in the area is VERY abundant, including Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Next we’ll visit Skyline Drive in Canon City, a narrow one-way road soaring along a razorback ridge 800 feet above the surrounding landscape, with no guardrails or view obstructions, this is likely the MOST scenic 2.8 mile drive you will ever witness. Last but certainly not least is Phantom Canyon Road, originally the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad built in 1894. Filled with breathtaking views, drivable tunnels, and historic bridges, this drive is one of the most scenic in Colorado.
Shelf Road transformed an untraveled wilderness into a major route for the stagecoaches and freight wagons traveling between the Arkansas Valley and the Cripple Creek Gold Mining District. The rugged route’s name is ‘THE SHELF’, a five-mile stretch of road that hugs the sheer rock walls of above Fourmile Creek. This section of road perched high above Fourmile Creek has made for a memorable ride since its construction in 1892. Look for the lower tollkeeper’s cabin in the canyon bottom. The tollkeeper climbed up the hill to collect tolls every time a wagon or stagecoach passed. Drivers were charged tolls at both the upper and lower toll gates.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Skyline Drive is a narrow 2.6 mile scenic road that follows the top of a razorback ridge overlooking Cañon City, Colorado. Built using labor from 60 inmates at the nearby prison, the road was finished in 1905. In its early days, Skyline Drive only allowed horse-drawn buggies and foot traffic, but in 1907 automobiles were allowed on its roads and have predominated ever since. Today, Skyline Drive remains a staple attraction in Cañon City and you can experience the thrills of this drive for free on your next visit. There are no guardrails keeping you from driving off the side of the road, just sheer cliffs surrounding you as you navigate the intense inclines and declines.
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
This road is one of the most scenic and historic drives in Colorado. The route increases in elevation from 5,500 to 9,500 feet and offers the chance to see a wide range of plants and wildlife in their natural setting. The gravel road follows the route of the Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad built in 1894 as a connection from Florence to the goldfields of Cripple Creek and Victor. The unique bridges and tunnels offer a visual link to the area’s historic past. Between Cripple Creek and Victor are the remnants of hundreds of historic mines and an operating modern gold mine. Over 500 mines once operated in the district, each with its own colorful past.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
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